Every farm should have a pond. After listening to a presentation by Joel Salatin at the ACRES Conference, Tim came back fully charged to build a pond. And we needed to dig up lots of clay for our natural building projects. So it was a WIN - WIN.The pond location is in a low area -- that was heavily timbered by the farm's previous owner. It is fed by a 9-month spring and the excess flow empties into a stream that bi-sects our farm. This was the perfect location for excavation by a local contractor and friend, Wendell Meade. Work began in March of 2012.Tim staked out the kidney-shaped perimeter for the 1/3 acre pond. It was dug to a depth of 9 feet, so it holds approximately 850,000 gallons of water. Now that's A LOT of water. What's the point, you ask? Well, since you asked... let me tell you. First, we are harvesting water that would otherwise flow into the Cacapon River during flood periods - thereby helping stabilize it's flow. Second, we use the pond water to irrigate our apple orchard and permaculture fields. Third, we use it to water our livestock in Shotgun Pasture -- the only pasture we have without hydrants. Fourth, we are planning on stocking the pond with channel catfish and perch for fish to sell and eat on the farm. And finally, it is an emergency clean water source for us should we need fresh water for domestic use. (Really, you shouldn't have asked!)Below are some pictures of the construction of the pond and the subsequent work to fix the leaks. (That's another story... perhaps a blog post someday). Oh, I forgot, the pond it a GREAT SWIMMING HOLE on hot farm days!)